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Libertarians, I'd like you to help me and others on C-D understand your views better. I understand one of the basic principles of Libertarians is that you prefer little or no government intervention in just about everything, but I'd like to learn more details.
What do you think government should do? Military, infrastructure?
Do you live in an area with a large or small population? If you don't live in a large city, do you think that's one of the main reasons why you are a Libertarian? Large cities generally need more government intervention.
What are your thoughts on the Republican party?
Do you think capitalism has any flaws? If so, what are they?
If you were the head of the Libertarian party, what would you do to make your party mainstream?
Hopefully some of the Libertarians on the board will respond. Those are very good questions, IMO, and I would very much like to understand Libertarians better myself.
Libertarians, I'd like you to help me and others on C-D understand your views better. I understand one of the basic principles of Libertarians is that you prefer little or no government intervention in just about everything, but I'd like to learn more details.
What do you think government should do? Military, infrastructure?
Do you live in an area with a large or small population? If you don't live in a large city, do you think that's one of the main reasons why you are a Libertarian? Large cities generally need more government intervention.
What are your thoughts on the Republican party?
Do you think capitalism has any flaws? If so, what are they?
If you were the head of the Libertarian party, what would you do to make your party mainstream?
Thanks!
Well, we should get to know the libertarians....there suddenly seems to be so many whenever Bush's actions or policies are criticized
What do you think government should do? Military, infrastructure?
Very briefly:
Government responsibilities are listed under Article 1 Section 8. Libertarians don't believe the government should do any more than that.
Military, yes.
Coin money, yes. Note, that the Fed is NOT a part of the government, so them coining money is against the Constitution and opposed by most libertarians.
Run the post office, yes. The USPS is a constitutional demand.
Regulate trade with foreign nations, yes.
And everything else Section 8 calls for, and other than that, the government can step out of the way and let people mind their own business.
For example:
Legalize marijuana? Why not? Why should the government care what you smoke in your house, be it tobacco or marijuana?
Basically they prefer to mind their own business. They won't tell others what they can, and cannot do as long at the others are not interfering with their lives. And they don't want others to tell them what they can do with their lives, property and money. So, trying to make someone's personal moral values and/or religious beliefs into law is out of the question. This goes for gay marriage and abortion. They are not federal issues. If states want to make them law, then they can do that, but leave them out of the constitution.
And this goes for other countries too, not just individuals. Libertarians are opposed to policing the world and getting involved in the affairs of other countries.
Government responsibilities are listed under Article 1 Section 8. Libertarians don't believe the government should do any more than that.
Military, yes.
Coin money, yes. Note, that the Fed is NOT a part of the government, so them coining money is against the Constitution and opposed by most libertarians.
Run the post office, yes. The USPS is a constitutional demand.
Regulate trade with foreign nations, yes.
And everything else Section 8 calls for, and other than that, the government can step out of the way and let people mind their own business.
For example:
Legalize marijuana? Why not? Why should the government care what you smoke in your house, be it tobacco or marijuana?
Basically they prefer to mind their own business. They won't tell others what they can, and cannot do as long at the others are not interfering with their lives. And they don't want others to tell them what they can do with their lives, property and money. So, trying to make someone's personal moral values and/or religious beliefs into law is out of the question. This goes for gay marriage and abortion. They are not federal issues. If states want to make them law, then they can do that, but leave them out of the constitution.
And this goes for other countries too, not just individuals. Libertarians are opposed to policing the world and getting involved in the affairs of other countries.
Those are things that I respect. Thanks for sharing.
Libertarians, I'd like you to help me and others on C-D understand your views better. I understand one of the basic principles of Libertarians is that you prefer little or no government intervention in just about everything, but I'd like to learn more details.
What do you think government should do? Military, infrastructure?
Do you live in an area with a large or small population? If you don't live in a large city, do you think that's one of the main reasons why you are a Libertarian? Large cities generally need more government intervention.
What are your thoughts on the Republican party?
Do you think capitalism has any flaws? If so, what are they?
If you were the head of the Libertarian party, what would you do to make your party mainstream?
Thanks!
I have libertarian tendencies.
When it comes to a lot of social issues, I prefer very little government intervention: marriage, marijuana use, etc.
I don't have strong feelings about the military even though I don't like wars. I think the government should be involved in health care (I prefer a single payer system) and we should have public education because everyone can't afford private education. However I think we should start charging parents a fee for public education. There can always be subsidies for the poorer parents but my motivation for a fee is so that more parents will be more invested in their child's education.
I think taxes have their place in society and I'm all for lower taxes in exchange for people expecting less government services. No matter what party you belong to, no one really wants the tax rate to be what it needs to be in order to fund all the things government currently provides and things the government should provide.
Republican party...it's been taken over by religious conservatives for the most party. I like some of their views when it comes to economics but with economics I take a little bit out of the Democratic Party, Libertarian Party, and Green Party. I'm all over the political map.
Capitalism has its flaws and the biggest one I see is exploitation of workers and consumers. There has to be some government intervention but I don't think the government should control the WHOLE economy.
I don't live in a small town but I don't live in a big city. The city I live in has roughly 60,000 people...but it doesn't really feel like it.
Have you looked at the Libertarian Party website?
I agree with the part in bold you highlighted in your post above mine. I'm all for people minding their own business, don't tell me how to live my life, etc.
There are hardly any true libertarians in the country,look at the election results and Barr{not a true lbt but a {R} retread} and Chuck Baldwin did not get over a million votes between them.A true lbt would hardly ever vote for either parties candidates because on big issues they are so much alike.
Now, there are exceptions like the Paul movement,who have decided that their best chances are working with in the {R} party.And are running candidates and have a slight shot of grabbing a few seats.Such as the Rand Paul race where the {R} establishment is backing his opponent Trey Greyson.The {R} won't support any of our people they just want our ideas and our votes.
Another race that I am excited about is the Peter Schiff - Chris Dodd,it is going to be tough because Linda McMahon WWF queen has tons of cash to spend.But if the people of Conn listen and are smart they will go with Schiff all the way.He is on a mission and that is to go to congress and teach them about economics.And with a 12 trillion debt don't you think we need someone to school them?
Sorry about being off subject, but I will answer your questions on what lbt believe,keep in mind that I am very average and not highly educated.
You asked about military and infrastructure and that is a role of the federal gvt described in the constitution.But we do not agree with both parties ideology that we are the policemen of the world.One of the forefathers said "trade with all make alliances with none " and if we followed that we would be in better shape fiscally.
This years military spending was 650 billion that is way to much for a broke A$$ country.
My thought on the {R} party is they are no better then the {D} and are a bunch of hypocrites when they accuse the {D} of being socialist.The {R} party has supported socialism themselves,Prescription drug plan,bailing out the banks,and subsidies for farmers etc etc. Each of these is redistribution of wealth right out of Marx's manifesto.
I do not think we will ever be main stream,I agree with Paul even though the {R} party is full of douches our chances of becoming a force is to reform and capture the party by winning elections.A 3rd party just won't fly the 2 parties are to strong and will shut them out and make sure their voices are not heard.
Libertarians, I'd like you to help me and others on C-D understand your views better. I understand one of the basic principles of Libertarians is that you prefer little or no government intervention in just about everything, but I'd like to learn more details.
What do you think government should do? Military, infrastructure?
Do you live in an area with a large or small population? If you don't live in a large city, do you think that's one of the main reasons why you are a Libertarian? Large cities generally need more government intervention.
What are your thoughts on the Republican party?
Do you think capitalism has any flaws? If so, what are they?
If you were the head of the Libertarian party, what would you do to make your party mainstream?
Thanks!
I'm a recovering Libertarian and I will try and answer this. Thomas Jefferson was a Libertarian.
Most libertarians believe the government should stick to the Constitution. i.e. no overseas wars or permanent bases. No war on drugs. No war on cancer. No public school funding from the feds etc...... If it isn't explicitly defined in the Constitution then the feds should stay out of it. Health insurance would be a great example right now. The feds do not have the right to interfere in health insurance at all. For any reason.
Most libertarians would also eliminate the federal income tax and Federal Reserve. And pay off the debt. They also believe in real free trade. Not NAFTA and other such nonsense.
That should pretty much cover it.
Read what Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and James Madison thought about the role of government and that is pretty much what most Libertarians believe. So they kinda laugh when people say they aren't mainstream.
As for Republicans? Most Libertarians see the dems and repubs as the same. The same economic and war policies continue. Look at Bush. He didn't overturn any major Clinton policy. Obama has not overturned any major Bush policy. Even though he keeps blaming Bush for everything. Although, I have to say Obama is far, far left of Clinton or Bush.
I'm now an anarchist so I find your thesis that more government intervention is needed in larger cities than rural areas fascinating? I've lived in Detroit and I now live in a small rural area in Tennessee. Detroit area is 5 million people when I resided there. The county I live now is about 40,000.
I don't see the difference in the role of government between the two areas.
If there is a flaw in capatilism I can't find one. I'm talking true capitalism. Not this corporate-government meger we have in the United States. The only "laws" that I can think of that are necessary are Thou shall not steal and Thou shall not commit fraud. Capitalism takes care of the rest of it. Like overpaying CEOs or underpaying minorities. Not only does capitalism take care of it. It does it quicker and more efficiently than government.
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Well, we should get to know the libertarians....there suddenly seems to be so many whenever Bush's actions or policies are criticized
